DECEMBER 10, 1897. ] 
with matter and energy, forming another 
trinity. Every atom centralizes intelligence, 
is in itself a living entity and by a process 
of self-evolution yields the diverse natural 
bodies. ‘‘ Ether is the father of hydrogen, 
from which are derived oxygen, nitrogen, 
carbon, etc., combinations due to etheric 
vortices.”” ‘Perhaps helium should pre- 
cede hydrogen.” This view of matter as a 
living entity is greatly insisted on, and the 
doctrine is called Hylozoism. An alchemist 
who expects to succeed must possess psychic 
power over the atoms, so that by the action 
of his will they shall group themselves to 
form the metal desired. 
Such is the physical philosophy of 
modern alchemists; the kabalistic philos- 
ophy is by no means so clear, being closely 
linked to the Tarot, which signifies the 
‘hieroglyphs and algebraic calculations of 
the Primordial Genesis.’ 
Students of the mystical philosophy of 
the Hebrews discover profound occult sig- 
nificance in accidental similarities of widely 
differing objects and phenomena. ‘The 
seven planets, seven days of the week, 
seven colors, seven orifices in the head, seven 
metals known to the ancients, seven arch- 
angels and seven infernal demons pre- 
sent to the truly kabalistic mind mar- 
vellous and precious analogies. In the 
‘Table of Concorcance of Major Arcana’ 
these correspondences are given: ‘ Heth- 
Justice—Elementary existence—Nizah—Can- 
cer—J une—Hy drogen—Fire.’ 
Jollivet-Castelot has written of Kabalistic 
Alchemy, and a perusal of his essays leaves 
in the mind of the uninitiated confused 
memories of colors, numbers, signs of the 
zodiac, alchemical operations as distillation, 
fixation and the like, the names of the sons 
of Jacob, certain precious stones, geomet- 
rical figures, Hebrew characters, Azoth, 
quintessence and the Devil, all discussed in 
a language as obscure as the symbolism 
portrayed. ‘To conceal esoteric mysteries 
SCLENCE. 
859 
abbreviations are often used, but one does 
not have to be very deeply initiated to recog- 
nize in P.*. Ph.:. ‘pierre philosophale,’ 
and inG.:.O.-°. ‘grand oeuvre.’ 
Astral light is an important factor in 
modern hermetism, and is related very 
closely to the ‘radiant matter’ of chemists 
and the ‘ether’ of physicists. “ Astral 
light is the universal agent, the universal 
plastic mediator, the common receptacle of 
vibrations of motion and of the phantoms 
of form.’ It is also the Od of the Hebrews 
and of Baron von Reichenbach ; it is the 
great Thelesma of Hermes Trismegistus, 
and the control of this force constitutes the 
great arcana of practical magic. It heats, 
illuminates, magnetizes, attracts, repels, 
vivifies, destroys, coagulates, separates, 
erushes and gathers all things under the 
stimulus of powerful wills ; itis a perpetual 
and transformable vibration. Its kabalistic 
figure, represented by the Serpent of 
Theogonies, is: 
Od = + 
Ob = — 
Aour = 0 
When the universal light magnetizes the 
universe it is called astral light; when it 
forms metals it is called Azoth, or the Mer- 
cury of the Sages; when it gives light to 
animals it is called animal magnetism. 
The astral undulations determine the posi- 
tion of the atoms or neutralize them. 
Herein lies the secret of transmutation, and 
it becomes the privilege of the hermetist to 
acquire the power of controlling this agent. 
The adepts in this phase of hermetism 
still appeal to the Tabula Smaragdina of 
Hermes Trismegistus as the embodiment of 
alchemic lore. The ‘ Father of Alchemy,’ 
who has been identified with Canaan, 
Noah’s grandson, invented arithmetic, 
geometry, astronomy and music, taught 
writing to the Egyptians, and gave laws 
and religious rites to the people; he was 
